Heating bill gets cheaper — just not in Gaston

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 06:25 PM.

The natural gas provider for some surrounding counties says it wants to charge less starting in February.

Piedmont Natural Gas, which has customers in Mecklenburg and Lincoln County, filed with North and South Carolina to reduce its rates.

PNC says the change would save residential users around $8 to $10 a month on next month’s bill.

The reason: Natural gas is getting cheaper. Piedmont isn’t paying as much in wholesale costs because fracking — the process they like to call gas production from domestic shale — is putting more gas on the market.

PNC charges residential customers about $1.01 per therm this time of year, according to information it publishes online.

A therm is the increment by which utilities measure natural gas.

Public Service North Carolina is the natural gas utility for Gaston County. A spokeswoman says PSNC doesn’t have plans to ask for a rate change in February. As is standard practice, the company will look again at rates next month to decide whether it needs to adjust pricing, the utility says.

The natural gas provider for some surrounding counties says it wants to charge less starting in February.

Piedmont Natural Gas, which has customers in Mecklenburg and Lincoln County, filed with North and South Carolina to reduce its rates.

PNC says the change would save residential users around $8 to $10 a month on next month’s bill.

The reason: Natural gas is getting cheaper. Piedmont isn’t paying as much in wholesale costs because fracking — the process they like to call gas production from domestic shale — is putting more gas on the market.

PNC charges residential customers about $1.01 per therm this time of year, according to information it publishes online.

A therm is the increment by which utilities measure natural gas.

Public Service North Carolina is the natural gas utility for Gaston County. A spokeswoman says PSNC doesn’t have plans to ask for a rate change in February. As is standard practice, the company will look again at rates next month to decide whether it needs to adjust pricing, the utility says.